The Bender Trials
by soverylazy11
Summary: AU: In which non-benders start hating, hunting, and killing benders.


Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. When ATLA began, I had no clue what that was. So, clearly, I couldn't have made it, and I am not rich enough to buy a fandom. This will be the only disclaimer for the fic.

* * *

PROLOGUE (CIRCA 312 BG)

Long, long ago, when the first benders were introduced to the world, everyone marveled at such power. It was beautiful, how those benders can easily crush a mountain, or make a gale of wind, deadly shards of ice, or even conjure a blast of searing fire. But soon, when hard times such as poverty, famine, or drought came, people's tempers grew thin. They needed a scapegoat to blame. But who? The government? The farmers? The other nations?

One man, a priest named Amon knew who to blame, and with his charisma, his band of followers, and his way of reasoning, along with the people's desperation, made that group villified, even though they did nothing wrong.

He blamed the minority of the population: the benders. He thought that the benders stole spirit power from other friendly spirits, and that angered all the spirits. He proposed that every one of them should die. He said this everywhere. Of course, no one listened to him, but a series of coincidences made them believe that.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear the news?" Tarrlok said when he and a fellow water tribe member were mending fishing nets.

"No. Why? Did something happen?"

"Benders are being hunted down by this psycho cult. Yakone, you should watch out."

"Don't worry. I have literally the whole land to use and bend. Besides, why would a crazy cult come to the North pole?"

"I don't know, but just watch out. I just have this gut feeling."

"Are you sure that 'gut feeling' isn't from the smell of fish guts?"

"Haha, very funny."

Yakone 'disappeared' a week after the conversation. His body was fished out by another Water tribesman. He looked like he drowned to death. It was unsettling. Soon many other benders were disappearing. No one knew what to make of it. Children with known bending skills would be put to bed by their parents and be gone the next morning. Adult benders would go fishing one day, or hunting, and turn up a few days later just like Tarrlok. No one knew what was happening. Many thought it was due to the spirits.

* * *

For the fire nation, the persecution of benders were because of simple reasons: They feared them. Those firebenders were shunned and looked down on in society. They were seen as monsters, and killed for sport. Soon, anyone with gold or yellow eyes were targeted.

* * *

Earth kingdom villages believed them in the end, or at least the next generation did. They were most affected by the speeches Amon and his followers made, and believed them.

* * *

The Air Nomads, well, since they worshipped spirits at the time and knew how easiily angered they could be, believed every word Amon spouted. However, since they believed all life is sacred, they simply segregated themselves from airbenders.

* * *

And Amon was anonymous, replaced every few decades, and going around the world preaching his flawed ideals.

* * *

SPIRIT REALM

"AWWW FUCK! FUCK THOSE SHITHEADS!" Tui loudly swore.

"I SAY WE FUCKING KILL THEM ALL! HOW COULD THEY! HOW COULD THEY-" His voice cracked at the last word. "HOW COULD THEY JUST KILL THEIR OWN PEOPLE, THEIR OWN FAMILY, LIKE LIVESTOCK!"

"Hush Tui. You can't blame it on all the non-benders." La said. "Besides, you're only harming the benders even more, since everyone thinks your reaction is due to the benders existence. You should stop sending storms."

"BUT-"

"La's right." Agni interrupted.

"All of our curses and such are being perceived as displeasure of the existence of benders. They apparently think that we are mad at the benders even though we are mad at the killing of benders. We should stop attempting to get our message out by sending out storms, drought, and the like. We are only hurting the innocent by this." He continued.

"BUT WE CAN'T JUST SIT AROUND AND LET THEM KILL INNOCENT LIVES LIKE THAT!" Tui exploded in frustration.

"Tui, dear, calm THE HELL DOWN! We never said to stop our efforts entirely. We simply should take another approach to this madness." She said to console said irate man.

"Yes. We need another way to stop this. Any ideas?"

"How about we send out dreams?"

"And then what? Have them rebel, only to be killed?"

"Ok, dreams are out. People don't believe in dreams much anyway."

"How about we inscribe messages using nature?"

"How?"

"Well, we can make lightning burn a message. or have wind blow sand into messages."

"And have the population fight each other due to clashing of ideals? No thanks. Besides, it can be brushed off as coincidence."

"Oh! I know! Senpai pick me!" Tui said in falsetto, raising his hand and waving it around to attract attention.

The two major deities stopped debating and stared at Tui.

"...You better be serious Tui."

"Oh but I am senpai!" He chirped. "I propose that we have a spirit reincarnate to kill as many of those Amon jackasses as possible!" He finished, smiling at the prospect.

La lost her temper and bitch-slapped her counterpart.

"We said to BE SERIOUS ASSHOLE! NOT TO PLAY SCHOOLGIRL!"

"...Huh. Tui might have the right idea." Agni said, stroking his imaginary beard.

"...You've got to be kidding."

"We're not." The two gods deadpanned in unison.

La just face palmed.

"Ok, you guys better explain."

"So, instead of making a serial-killing spirit, I believe we should have a spirit that will reincarnate between nationalities, protecting benders. They will be a powerful bender, being able to bend all four elements-"

"WAIT WHAT?" La shouted out. "Won't the reincarnation be mad at the non-benders and kill them all? Especially with those powers."

"Before La interrupted me, I was going to say that the reincarnation would be peaceful, and negotiate before striking."

"Pffffftttt. As if. They're going to die first!"

"What if the reincarnation loses his or her temper and starts killing."

"... Well, if the reincarnation ends up losing their patience and snaps, then the people making her or him lose it will deserve what's coming to them, because almost nothing will make them truly angry."

"Good enough for me."

"Well, there isn't much options."

"The reincarnation will be known as the Avatar, I choose that earth kingdom girl as the first one."

 _ **TIME SKIP (TO CIRCA 12 BG)**_

"DAMMIT! IT ISN'T FUCKING WORKING! AGNI! YOUR SHITTY PLAN ISN'T WORKING AT ALL." Tui yelled out. He was not really angry at the deity, he just needed to vent out his frustrations.

"Well, on the bright side, the benders are still survivng. The previous Avatars managed to keep at least 9 out of ten benders alive and killed a few Amons." La said, trying to be optimistic. She knew they had to keep trying.

"THAT ISN'T ENOUGH! 90% OF THE BENDER POPULATION SURVIVES EVERY YEAR? THE BENDERS ARE GROWING RARER AND RARER! AND HALF OF THOSE AVATARS DIE EARLY! THERE'S ONLY A FEW HUNDRED OUT THERE NOW! AND THE BENDERS ARE ONLY PART OF THE REASON! ITS THE IDEALS OF THE PAST GENERATIONS! SOON, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HATE ANYTHING ABNORMAL IF THEY KEEP UP THIS MINDSET!"

"No. Fucking. Shit. Sherlock." Agni gritted out.

"Not you too Agni! It could work! Just give it time." She pleaded.

"Let's face it La, what Tui is saying is the truth. I feel like we should scrap this plan. A few hundred years should've been enough time."

La, who kept on being optimistic, felt like they were close to their goal.

"H-how about we try one last avatar? If it fails, we will just leave mankind to determine their own fate. Please!"

"Very well then."

 _'Please make it avatar, you are our only hope now.'_ La thought silently.

"Let's choose that airbender to be the next Avatar."

* * *

Avatar Aang, the last hope of the benders and spirits, was born that moment, wrapped in rags and identified as a bender, as both his parents were benders. He was given to Monk Gyatso. He was a happy little baby, even in the bleak ghettos the airbenders were assigned to live in. However, when Aang grew old enough to speak complete sentences, Gyatso felt his heart break a little as he had to answer Aang's questions.

"Monk Gyatso, why do we have to live here? Its dirty and cold here."

"Just because." _We are forced to._

"Monk Gyatso, why is there so many food shortages here, but not at the other parts of the city?"

"Just because." _Amon's followers most likely sabotaged the food carts. Other parts of the city have non-benders, who are treated like human beings._

"Monk Gyatso, why is it that people get hit by those masked guys and no one is caring?"

"Just because." _Amon's followers target benders and benders only. No one cares because anyone interfering would get killed instantly._

"Monk Gyatso, why do you wear a collar?"

"Just because." _I've rebelled once. I'm seen as 'dangerous'. This is a shock collar to control rebels and stop bending._

"Monk Gyatso, why do you always say just because to every question I ask?"

"Little ones like you shouldn't know such things."


End file.
